


First Date

by Fallynleaf



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Femslash February, First Dates, Post-Canon, Sadie Killer and the Suspects
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 18:34:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17944949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallynleaf/pseuds/Fallynleaf
Summary: Pearl finally gives Mystery Girl a call.





	First Date

**Author's Note:**

> As much as I loved the Steven Universe finale, there was still one loose thread that I'd hoped would get resolved.
> 
> But since we didn't get to see Pearl interact with Mystery Girl again in the canon, here's one way it might go.

Pearl stared down at the phone in her hand. She’d been looking at it, unblinking, for over an hour.

Finally, she sighed, then moved to press _call_.

It rang three times before the person on the other end of the line picked up.

“Hello?” The woman’s voice was deep and smooth. As soon as she spoke, Pearl blushed and almost dropped the phone.

“H—hello,” Pearl managed.

“Who is this?” the woman on the other end of the line asked.

“It’s Pearl. We met, once, at a party. I asked you about your hair.” Pearl leaned against the stone, and tried to calm her nerves.

“Oh, yeah, I remember you.” The woman gave a breathy laugh. “Have you finished saving the planet?”

“Yes, actually,” Pearl said. She smiled. “That’s why it took so long for me to call you. I just…” she trailed off.

There was a pause. Then the woman said, “Nah, I get it. It’s all good, babe.”

Pearl blushed violently turquoise at the term _babe_. “Anyway,” she said, “I was just wondering if maybe you’d be interested in doing an activity together.”

“An activity?”

“Well, Sadie told me to bring a friend along to the next Sadie Killer and the Suspects concert, and I thought maybe you’d—” Pearl cut off nervously.

“Wait, you’re friends with Sadie Killer?” the woman said. “Dope!”

“Yes, she’s a very close friend of my, uh, Steven,” Pearl said.

She stared out over the ocean, taking in the play of light over the waves. It was a soft twilight, and the water was orange and pink with it.

“Where’s the concert?” the woman asked, after Pearl didn’t elaborate.

“Here,” Pearl said. “At Beach City.”

“It sounds rad,” the woman breathed.

“So, does that mean you’re coming?” Pearl asked excitedly.

There was a pause. Then, “Sure.”

“Great!” Pearl said.

The woman laughed. “I’ll see you there,” she said. “It’s a date.”

_A date!_ Pearl thought. She got so caught up in the warm feeling of it that she barely registered that the call had ended. Slowly, she lowered the phone. She gazed down at it for a long moment, looking at the number in her contacts under the name _S_.

Then she groaned and placed her hand on her face. “I forgot to ask her name,” she realized.

 

* * *

 

As soon as Pearl walked back into the base, Steven emerged from the kitchen.

“So? How’d it go?” he asked, excitedly.

Pearl smiled. “I’m going on a date!” she said.

Steven let out a soft shriek of happiness. “You’ll have to let me pick out an outfit for you!” he said.

“What’s wrong with what I have on now?” Pearl frowned, looking down at herself. She was happy with her newest style change. It had been her quickest regeneration yet, but it felt more like herself than any of her previous outfits.

“Nothing’s wrong with it,” Steven said quickly. “But don’t you want to dress up a little?”

"I suppose," Pearl said, unsure.

Steven's eyes lit up. "Montage!" he said, pumping his fist.

Pearl tried on several outfits. The black jacket and the blue jeans returned briefly, only for Steven to immediately veto them in disgust. Next, Pearl put on a suit, and Steven shook his head. "Too formal," he mouthed. By the end of it, Pearl was frustrated, and they were no closer to finding an outfit that Steven deemed acceptable for a date at a rock concert.

"Steven, none of these outfits are _me_ ," Pearl said.

Suddenly, Steven's face fell. "Oh no," he whispered. "I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

Pearl became instantly worried. "No, Steven—" she started, trying to reassure him.

He cut her off with a shake of his head. "I'm doing this for _me_ when I should be doing it for _you_ ," he said. "Your Mystery Girl—wait, did you find out her actual name?" he asked.

Pearl winced. "No," she said.

Steven blinked. He sighed fondly, then started the sentence again: "Okay. Your Mystery Girl—whoever she is—she already likes you for who you are. So all you need to do is be that person. Be yourself. Be your best Pearl, not your best Steven, or your best anyone else."

Pearl stared at her reflection in the mirror. She met her own gaze, and gave a firm nod.

 

* * *

 

The night of the concert, Pearl waited, nervously, off to the side of the venue. She stood there alone. Amethyst and Steven had been forbidden from intervening or interacting with her at all while she was with Mystery Girl.

A motorcycle pulled up on the side of the street. The rider yanked off her helmet, and a cloud of pink hair sprung free of it.

Pearl stared at her for a long moment before she approached.

"Hey," Mystery Girl said, grinning down at her.

"Hey," Pearl said back.

“You look different from the last time I saw you,” Mystery Girl said, glancing at her up and down. “A good different.”

“I _feel_ different,” Pearl said. “I feel… ready. Like I spent so long waiting for something, but never actually doing anything about it.”

Mystery Girl nodded. “You’re becoming your more authentic self,” she said, knowingly. "I dig it."

They walked toward the stage.

Sadie Killer and the Suspects had grown in popularity since their first concert here, and Beach City had needed to acquire a bigger venue in order to host them. They were still outdoors, but with better speakers now, and more elaborate stage effects.

Pearl and Mystery Girl managed to claim a spot in the crowd that had a good view of the stage.

Just as Pearl was about to open her mouth to say something else to Mystery Girl, the first song started.

The band opened with their titular single, "Sadie Killer and the Suspects." Both Pearl and Mystery Girl had heard the song performed before, but neither of them enjoyed it any less for it. Pearl watched Mystery Girl more than she watched Sadie, watching as she swayed with the music and let the thrum of it flow through her.

When the next song started—"G-G-G-Ghost"—Mystery Girl turned toward Pearl and grinned. "This one's my favorite!"

Over the years, Pearl had known many people for whom rock music was an essential part of their lives. She'd never been able to understand it herself. She had tried to, for Rose, but whatever had drawn Rose to it, whatever had drawn Rose—and Amethyst, too—to that part of Greg, had been utterly unfathomable to Pearl.

But, standing here beside Mystery Girl, she still couldn't _understand_ it, but she could _feel_ it, perhaps.

"I knew you and me would vibe," Mystery Girl said.

_She's staring at me!_ Pearl realized. She gave Mystery Girl a tentative smile, then just leaned into the music.

 

* * *

 

About halfway through the concert, Pearl spotted someone making their way through the crowd toward her. She quickly turned toward Mystery Girl and said, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to get you some punch, okay?"

"Thanks, babe" Mystery Girl said, smiling at her.

Pearl smiled, then moved to grab a quick word with a person who was definitely going back on their promise right now.

"How's everything going?" Stevonnie whispered, loudly, over the music.

"What are you doing?" Pearl hissed. "I thought I told you not to intervene!"

"You told _Steven_ not to intervene," Stevonnie corrected. "But I had to check on you! You looked nervous. Is everything going okay?"

"Yes, it's fine," Pearl said. "More than fine, actually. I'm having a really good time. Stop worrying about me, okay?"

Stevonnie looked at her. "Okay," they said, unconvincingly.

"And tell Amethyst she isn't being as subtle as she thinks she is," Pearl said, glancing up at a suspiciously large purple bat hanging from the scaffolding on the side of the stage near Mystery Girl. The bat was currently dangling from one foot and pouring a cup of punch into its mouth with the other.

Then Pearl scooted past Stevonnie and went over to the refreshments table. She ladled out some punch, then carried it back to Mystery Girl, who accepted it gratefully.

 

* * *

 

Finally, the concert wound down. The band played their last song—and then the encore song, and then a _second_ encore song, and a third after that—and then Pearl and Mystery Girl wandered off closer to the water, away from the noise of the crowds and the stage.

"Can I ask you a question?" Pearl said, looking at Mystery Girl as she gazed out over the sea.

"Sure," Mystery Girl said, turning to smile at her. 

The breeze caught a wisp of her pink hair, and Pearl stared at it for a long moment, momentarily distracted, before she remembered to ask her question.

"This is silly, but—" she sighed. "What is your name? I never actually asked you."

Mystery Girl laughed. It was a nice-full-bodied laugh, loose and free. She was still grinning with it as she caught Pearl's eye.

"It's Sheena," she said.

"Sheena," Pearl repeated, trying out the sound of it. It was a good name. A beautiful name.

"Can I ask _you_ a question?"

"Yes," Pearl said, apprehensive. There were so many things that Sheena might want to know about her, so many things that were weird, and ugly, and beyond human comprehension. But whatever it was that she wanted to know, Pearl would answer it honestly.

Sheena met her gaze. The shape of her was backlit by stars and stage lights. "Do you want to go out again sometime?" she asked, quietly.

Pearl opened her mouth. She closed it, then opened it again. "I would love to," she finally said, blushing.

Then Sheena smiled softly and held out her hand, and Pearl reached out and took it.


End file.
